


Crystal

by aggiepuff, Whedonista93



Series: Zutara Week 2018 [5]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Crystal - Freeform, F/M, Love at First Sight, Merpeople, Zutara Week 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-02
Updated: 2018-08-02
Packaged: 2019-06-20 15:12:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15537006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aggiepuff/pseuds/aggiepuff, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whedonista93/pseuds/Whedonista93
Summary: In which the Crystal Ball is a time-honored tradition, a time for peoples all across the oceans to gather and forge marriage contracts for their young people. If only Iroh wasn't so meddlesome.





	Crystal

“Who do you think will be there this year?” Katara asks.

Beside her Sokka shrugs unenthusiastically. “Who knows?”

Katara frowns. “Look, Sokka,” she says, twisting to face her brother, “I know things didn’t turn out like you wanted last time…”

“You can say that again,” a new voice calls. 

Katara grins, turning to greet the newcomer. “Toph!”

“Hey, Sugar Queen, Snoozles,” Toph greets the siblings, falling in beside them.

Momo, Toph’s seeing-eye dolphin, nuzzles Katara’s pocket. Giggling, she hands over the salted seal jerky she carries just for him, which the dolphin downs in two bites. 

“So, Sugar Queen,” Toph says with a smirk, “how old are you this year?”

Katara blushes. “Eighteen.”

“Got your eye on anyone special?”

“Well--I--I don’t--”

“Of course she does!” Sokka breaks in with a wicked grin. “Haven’t you heard? Ice Princess is looking for someone to thaw her out.”

“That’s terrible,” Toph cackles.

“Bad jokes are part of my charm,” Sokka informs her.

“What charm?” Katara shoots back.

“What about you Snoozles?” Toph asks, turning blind eyes his direction. “What’re you even doing here? I thought your contract was signed, sealed and delivered last year.”

Katara winces.

“Yes, well,” Sokka sniffs loftily, “obviously not.” He pumps his powerful black and white tail, swimming away from the girls.

Katara drifts closer to Toph. “Princess Yue was chosen to be a Lunar Priestess 8 months ago,” she whispers. “Right before their marriage contract was supposed to be signed.”

“Oh. Ouch.”

“Yeah. Try not bring it up.”

“Got it.”

 

* * *

 

The Northern Water Tribe makes camp alongside their Southern brethren. The Southern Chief is conspicuously absent and Katara scowls. “Coward,” she hisses, turning to swim away.

A large hand falls on her shoulder. “You know that’s not fair, Katara,” Chief Hakoda tells her.

“I know Dad, but--”

“Chief Arnook is hurting, too, even more than Sokka. But the All-Seer does not make mistakes. Princess Yue was always meant to be join the Celestial Sisterhood, just as Sokka was meant to find another bride.”

Katara looks up sharply. “Another bride? You’ve found another already?”

Hakoda shakes his head. “No. I think I will wait to see what connections your brother makes on his own this week. And what connections you will make...unless you have already made a connection?” he raises an eyebrow at her.

Katara blushes furiously. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Hakoda laughs. “No, of course not.”

 

* * *

 

Zuko sighs for what must be the hundreth time. His Uncle Iroh swims lazily in front of him, ignoring Zuko’s baleful glare. 

“Cheer up, Zuko,” Ty Lee says. 

Zuko scowls. “Go away Ty Lee.”

Ty Lee twists so she swims a little ahead of him, the pink of her scales sparkling with whatever glitter dust she chose for the occasion. “What’s got you so glum, chum?”

“I’m not chum!”

Ty Lee giggles.

Behind them, Zuko’s sister laughs. “What’s wrong, Zuzu? I thought you’d be happy!”

“Shut up, Azula.”

“Now that Lu Ten is all cozy in his love nest with Lady Ashai, it’s your turn!”

“It is?” Ty Lee asks, face lighting up.

“You haven’t heard?” Azula asks, a wicked gleam in her dark eyes. “Uncle Iroh is  _ determined _ to find a bride for our dear Zuzu at this year’s Crystal Ball. It’s all over the palace. I mean, why wouldn’t it be? The Fire Lord, himself, is arranging the marriage of his nephew who’s already twenty years old.”

“Shut  _ up _ , Azula!”

Azula cackles. “Aw don’t be jealous, big brother, just because my marriage contract has been signed since Ty Lee and I were sixteen.” She throws a flirty kiss at her betrothed who mimes catching it and bringing it close to her heart.

Zuko growls, swimming away as fast as his red tail will propel him.  _ Azula doesn’t know anything _ , he thinks furiously.

 

* * *

 

If Katara lives to be one hundred she will never cease to be awestruck by the Crystal Cave. The entrance is a long, dark tunnel speckled with small sparkling stones that make the path feel almost warm. And since her mother first told it to her as a child, she has loved the story of Oma and Shu, the merfolk who found the cave and who fell in love in its gleaming light. But her favorite part is that first moment when, after swimming for so long in that dark tunnel, the world finally brightens and she can see the gleaming, iridescent crystals sparkling under the moonlight filtering from above.

“Get a move on,” Sokka says, swimming past her.

Katara glares at him. “Just because you don’t appreciate beauty--”

“Of course I appreciate beauty,” Sokka says, eyeing a group of young Earth Kingdom mermaids floating nearby. “I’m all about appreciating beauty.”

Katara rolls her eyes as he swims off, turning away to study the cave.

The Crystal Cave is large, possibly the largest cave in the known world. Merfolk from all across the oceans fit comfortably inside it’s glittering walls. The bright orange and yellow of the Air Nomads, who swim so close to the surface it’s said they fly, move gracefully amongst the more numerous shades of green and brown of the Earth Kingdom whose villages and trade routes interconnect through seemingly endless miles of underwater tunnels. Katara’s own Water Tribe, North and South, filter in behind her, the furs of their native iceflows and icebergs replaced by soft blue and white finery created exclusively for the week of the Crystal Ball.

Katara frowns, scanning the crowds again.  _ Where is the Fire Nation? _

Behind her, a gentle voice says, “Excuse me, my lady.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Katara hastily replies, scrambling to swim out of the way.

An older gentleman, his gray beard long and flowing, smiles genially at her. “Do not apologize, my dear. In fact, allow me to introduce myself. I am Iroh, of the Fire Nation.”

Katara’s insides freeze. Her eyes dart up to the shining bronze flame crown secured to Iroh’s topknot. “L-lovely to meet you, sire,” she stutters, just remembering to dip a quick curtsy.

“Now, please,” the Fire Lord says jovially, “let us not be so formal. What is your name, my lady?”

“Oh, ah,” Katara fumbles, “I am Katara, of the Southern Water Tribe.”

“Chief Hakoda’s daughter?” Iroh’s amber eyes brighten, grin widening. “How wonderful! I have heard so many good things of you, my lady. Your Tribe’s most accomplished healer and a strong waterbender. Please, allow me to introduce you to my nephew.” 

“No, please, that’s not--” Katara protests weakly but Lord Iroh is already guiding her through the cave.

 

* * *

 

Zuko finds the ever-predictable Sokka at the food table, happily munching on octopi and shrimp.

“Hey, man, what’s got you looking so gloomy?” Sokka asks by way of greeting.

Zuko sighs. He and Sokka have been friends for the better part of seven years, since their first Crystal Ball at thirteen, but he’s not sure he’ll ever grow accustomed to the Water Prince’s bluntness. “Uncle’s on the warpath,” he informs Sokka. “He’s determined this year he’ll find me a bride.”

“Well, at least your bride probably won’t be chosen by the Lunar Sisters,” Sokka mutters bitterly.

Zuko blinks at him. “But your contract…”

“Wasn’t signed.”

“That’s rough buddy.”

Sokka shrugs.

The pair float in silence, each lost in their own misery until a voice calls, “Ah, Nephew, there you are. There is someone I would like you to meet.”

Zuko’s shoulders slump. He turns slowly, dread welling in his gut--and stares.

The most beautiful mermaid he has ever seen floats at his uncle’s elbow. The moonlight ripples over her mahogany hair and soft brown skin, brightening her striking blue eyes. She smiles shyly at him, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, teeth chewing nervously on her full lower lip. 

“Nephew, this is Lady Katara, Healer and Waterbender of the Southern Tribe. Lady Katara, this is my nephew, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation.

Zuko gulps.

 

* * *

  
  


_ This was not how it was supposed to happen _ . Katara shifts anxiously. Prince Zuko hasn’t said a word and the sudden fear that he doesn’t like her twists her gut.

Prince Zuko is Sokka’s best friend. She’s heard so much about him, how brave he is, how strong and kind. Sokka pointed him out at the last Crystal Ball before telling her to stop following him around. Katara has been starstruck ever since and now he’s here, right in front of her, and  _ staring _ …

Finally, Prince Zuko greets her stiffly, formally, “Wonderful to meet you, Lady Katara.”

From somewhere in the cave, a harp strikes up a haunting tune. A violin soon joins, followed by the soft lilt of a flute and the center of the cave clears.

“That’s my que,” Sokka says, setting down his shell plate and swimming over to the nearest Earth Kingdom girl.

Katara watches him go, stuck between amusement that only a pretty girl could override her brother's fondness for food and suddenly feeling bereft without his presence as a buffer. She looks to her left but even Lord Iroh has left her to float awkwardly in front of Prince Zuko. She glances at him. His amber gaze darts around the cave, then, suddenly, their eyes meet and he is all she sees.

He’s classic Fire Nation handsome with jet black hair, fierce amber eyes, and pale skin that darkens to dark red scales at his hips, the same deep read as the scar that mars one side of his face.  _ The most beautiful man here _ , she decides.

“Would you, uh, like to dance?” he asks, flushing.

“I would love to,” Katara says, placing her hand in his.

Neither sees Iroh pass the musicians a gold coin each.


End file.
